July 31 Day 42 Exstew (west of Terrace) to Prince Rupert

Remote campsite at Exstew to Prince Rupert, 115 km

Today was the last day that Sonja and I biked together with Colleen as our support  We reached the end of Highway of Tears and the Pacific Ocean in Prince Rupert and we’ll take the ferry tomorrow to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island.  I’ll complete Change the Cycle on my own biking down Vancouver Island and then on to Vancouver where we will all meet again.

The route today took us along the shore of the increasingly widening Skeena River which eventually reached the ocean.  About halfway along today’s travel we started to smell the sea.  It was a beautiful ride, crossing many creeks and small rivers flowing into the Skeena, with snow covered mountains, steep cliffs rising high up beside the road, waterfalls and the sparkling turquoise waters of the Skeena.  The day started very sunny and hot however after about 40 km we reached a section where thick clouds moved up the valley from the coast which cooled things down and added another layer of drama to the already stunning landscape. The wind was moderately strong against us all the way to the coast and there was one significant long hill before reaching Prince Rupert.

Here’s a picture of me dipping my front wheel into the Pacific Ocean in Prince Rupert!

We booked into the Pioneer Backpacker Inn (the owners donated a room for us) and went to the official greeting that the North Coast Transition Society had arranged for us at the Civic Centre.

In front of a TV camera I was welcomed by Leonard, a Tsimshian Elder, the MLA Jennifer Rice, the Mayor Jack Mussallem and representatives from the Transition house.  There were speeches that all emphasized the importance of addressing violence against women, the impact of the missing and murdered women on the Highway of Tears, and support for the Change the Cycle Tour.  It was a very warm and generous welcome with about 30 people present on a picture perfect day.

Then I was interviewed by the local TV and newspaper. It seemed there was quite a bit excitement about the Change the Cycle project and people had followed some of the news coverage.  I spoke with Jennifer quite a bit as she showed great interest in the issue of Violence against Women and Highway of Tears. She said she had made a presentation at the BC Legislative Assembly about developing a public transportation system along Highway of Tears which would give communities and particularly women an alternative way to travel rather than being dependent on hitchhiking.  This linked to some thoughts about women’s choices in our society.  I was very much impressed by Jennifer’s passion for social justice causes (she and Sonja had met before re the Enbridge Pipeline). It appears that there is some great collaboration between municipal, provincial and federal politicians along the Skeena, Bulkley and Nechako watersheds to take on critical and historically ignored issues.  Jennifer showed interest in the Ontario Domestic violence policies and programs. There are no provincially funded initiatives or programs for men who abuse women, like the Domestic Violence Court or the Partner Assault Programs.  There are some men’s groups but they are based on local and private initiatives.

I spoke with the mayor about a recent article about Highway of Tears in the German magazine Der Spiegel about the negative image it portrays about Prince Rupert, which he was not aware of. It is unfortunate that this article focuses on some superficial negative observations of this generally beautiful  and flourishing port city, and associates them with the missing and killed women in the area. It is a sensationalistic approach to interpret certain conditions as cause for the violence against women which deflect from the deeper historic and societal issues that need to be addressed.

I had several other conversations while we enjoyed a BBQ hosted by the North Coast Transition Society.  I got the overall impression from this event that there is a great concern about the safety of women, and an appreciation for my effort to raise awareness on these issues and particularly Highway of Tears which east of Prince George seems mostly ignored and mostly seen as a stain on the image of beautiful BC. And I agree that being surrounded by the stunning scenery of this province it is not difficult to ignore the societal problems that don’t go away on their own.

Sonja and Colleen had a chance to talk with others who attended the gathering. Sonja had a powerful conversation with two Tsimshian Elders, who spoke about how the abuse experienced at Residential School has led to domestic violence in the home, both for them and for many other families in their community. It is painful to hear firsthand stories about the pain and suffering that resulted from the residential schools. These stories are generally unimaginable. It is amazing to witness the strength of the people who have survived these experiences, and choose to share their stories to make sure that the healing can begin or continue within their communities and themselves.

Here’s the link to the Northern View report:

Here’s a picture of the Exstew campsite where we started in the morning

Above is a picture of Joachim when he reached the Pacific Ocean near Prince Rupert.

When we were leaving Exstew, Poppy the dog decided she wanted to come on the tour in Sonja’s panier – it was good for a picture, but she had to ride with Colleen in the car!

Below are some pictures from the welcoming celebration in Prince Rupert: speaking with the mayor and MLA, and with people of Prince Rupert.

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Sonja and Poppy going for a ride in Prince Rupert